


It's Not Too Late

by lovesnarf (snarfette)



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Injury, M/M, Near death experiences that solve problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-23 12:21:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11989692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarfette/pseuds/lovesnarf
Summary: "You're not doing this to me, Robert," Aaron forced out. "You're not going to die on me. Not now. Not when we could finally sort everything out. I'm not letting you go."





	It's Not Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> After the spoilers for the upcoming weeks and the incident we have ahead of us with Liv and the brandy, I know a lot of us have wondered how Aaron and Robert will ever find their way back to one another. So I had this little idea of how that might happen. 
> 
> Hastily written so please forgive any mistakes.

There'd been a terrible screech of tyres, that had been audible even over the hubbub inside The Woolpack, followed by a deafening bang and the sound of grinding metal.

Everyone in the pub had been startled, but Aaron was the first to shake himself from his confusion and run outside.

His eyes immediately landed on Liv, sprawled on the grass.

"Liv!" he yelled in terror. Oh god, she couldn't be hurt, not his little sister, not again.

He ran to her and blew out a breath as she started pushing herself up slowly. She looked bewildered and frightened, and he grasped at her face to check her over.

"Liv?! What happened? Are you hurt?" The questions rushed out of him as his eyes desperately scanned her for injuries. Her arms were grazed, but she didn't look to be hurt in any other way and Aaron sighed in relief.

"The car," she said, her voice shaky. "I was outside the pub, talking to...oh my god, Aaron." She started pushing against him in a panic, her eyes fixed on something over his shoulder.

And then Aaron became aware of other sounds around him. His mind had been so fixed on Liv that he hadn't even noticed what was going on outside the pub. There were people shouting and footsteps pounding against the road. He turned slowly, almost not wanting to see what was going on, what had caused the noise and his sister to be lying on the ground.

Liv pushed him away and jumped to her feet, running towards where a car was slammed into the side of the pub.

"Liv? What are ya doing?" Aaron scrambled to his feet and caught her by the arm.

She tried to shake him off, tears in her eyes and her face flushed. "It's Robert," she cried. "I was talking to him outside the pub and then the car was coming and he pushed me out of the way."

Aaron's heart dropped to his stomach. He shook his head. "No, no." He looked beyond Liv to where the car was crumpled against the wall. Bob was there, leaning over the car and talking to someone. Jimmy was on his phone nearby, speaking to Bob and then into his phone urgently.

Aaron gave Liv what he hoped was a reassuring smile, despite not feeling anything of the sort, before running over to the scene of the accident. Liv followed behind him, gasping out in shock when they got closer.

"Oh god, Robert," Aaron breathed out in horror.

Bob turned to look at him. The false cheeriness on his face as he'd been facing Robert falling as he looked at Aaron. "He's trapped but the ambulance is on the way," he said quietly. Then he backed away from the car and allowed Aaron to get closer. He wasn't sure if he wanted to get closer, he wasn't prepared to deal with this, but as he leant forward, Robert's eyes slowly moved to meet his and his lips quirked up slightly.

Aaron drew in a sharp breath as he took in Robert's condition. He was pinned against the wall of the pub. The car had obviously skidded sideways, coming to a halt with its left side pressed to the brick with Robert crushed between the car and the wall. Robert looked like he was struggling to stay awake as he leant back against the wall, but he seemed to gather his strength when Aaron moved closer.

"Wasn't...expecting to...spend my evening like this," Robert managed to say. His breathing sounded harsh and rattling.

"What happened, Rob?" Aaron asked. He didn't really know what to say but something told him he needed to keep Robert awake and talking to him.

"Just...minding my own...business," Robert slurred out. "I saw...the car...and..." his eyes suddenly widened and his face scrunched up as he tried and failed to move. "Liv," he gasped desperately. "Where is she?"

Aaron nearly started crying at that moment. His ex-husband, who everyone, including himself, had called selfish and scheming, was crushed by a car with who knew what injuries, and he was desperate to know how Liv was.

"It's ok," he reached out and gripped Robert's hand tightly. "She's ok. She said you pushed her out of the way."

Robert slumped back a little. He smiled a little, weak smile and sighed out a shaky breath. "Couldn't let her...get hurt."

"She'll be pissed off at you for not getting yourself out of the way too, you know," Aaron said, trying for a smile, trying to make Robert smile. His heart was racing as he watched Robert struggling to breathe. He felt like their time was running out. How much longer could Robert hold on like this? Who knew what injuries Robert had? It couldn't end like this. Not now.

Robert's head lolled towards him slightly. It seemed like the effort of holding it up was becoming too much.  
"No change...there then. 'S'nice that...she'll be pissed at me...for something different...for a change. Not just...because we haven't...sorted ourselves out yet."

Aaron felt tears burning at the back of his eyes.

"I love you, Aaron," Robert murmured. "Just need...you to know."

"You're not doing this to me, Robert," Aaron forced out. "You're not going to die on me. Not now. Not when we could finally sort everything out. I'm not letting you go."

And wasn't that just the most painful thought. They'd been through so much. They'd wasted so much time. And Robert had found out mere months ago that the reason they'd split up in the first place was all a lie. He'd been put through hell and lost everything all because Rebeca hadn't been able to tell the truth. And just as they stood a chance of figuring it all out and finding their way back to one another, this had happened. It wasn't fair.

Robert smiled at him almost sleepily and then suddenly he gasped. He coughed weakly. "Hurts. Can't breathe."

"No, Robert!" Aaron was desperate. He leaned closer, squeezing Robert's hand and reaching out his other hand to stroke through Robert's hair. His fingertips only just reached him, but he needed to feel him. "Please, hold on. Don't leave me. I love you, too."

His heart slammed in his chest when Robert lifted his head painfully slowly. There was a trickle of bright, red blood running from the corner of his mouth, down his chin.

"I don't want...to go," he whispered. His eyelids started to droop even as he tried to fight against it.

"Don't go, Robert. Don't go," Aaron begged, tears falling down his cheeks.

Then he heard it. The sound of sirens. The flashing blue lights lit up Robert's pale face. And Aaron dared to hope that maybe they were in time. He squeezed Robert's hand again. "Please, don't go," he whispered again. "Please, Robert."

**Author's Note:**

> Now, I know this isn't exactly the ending you might want to this fic, buuut if I have some time I might be able to add a bit more, or I might just leave it here for you to fill in the rest with your own imagination. I'm undecided! (I really need to stop doing this!) All feedback is very welcome, please and thank you.


End file.
